Millie’s Musings: Getting Through Those Winter Blues

It has hit the time of the year that I honestly feel can be summed up perfectly in one word, ‘slump.’ The excitement of Christmas and the New Year has died down, and we’re all left in the debris of forgotten gym memberships and ‘clean eating’ cookbooks. A lot of us are longing for the sun to emerge to banish the cold and rainy weather away, (well, as much as it can be banished, with it being the UK). But for some of us, that longing is actually quite desperate, as the bad weather actually affects our mental wellbeing in a negative way.

According to the NHS, Seasonal Affective Disorder, more commonly known in the abbreviated form ‘SAD’, affects one in fifteen people in the UK between the months of September to April. This disorder causes people to experience major depression and/or anxiety during the colder months because of the lack of sunlight available in this period. If you’re like me, and find the winter period rather oppressing, here are a list of things I’ve learned which may help you cope…

Get Outside in the Morning – This may sound counterproductive, as well as impossible as the lack of sun is part of the reason for feeling low, but forcing yourself outside when the sun is rising (as long as it isn’t being blocked by clouds) could give you an albeit small top up of the precious vitamin D we lack during the winter months.

Keep Mindful – Introducing mindfulness into your daily routine with yoga and meditation is a sure-fire way to feel better. Yoga is something you could partake in from the comfort of your own home with YouTube videos. Or, there are many cheap classes in the local area, such at the ‘Yoganest’ located at St Margaret’s House in Bethnal Green. Furthermore, there are many apps that you can download that offer free meditations, such as Headspace.

Cosy up Your Environment –If the outside is making you feel horrendous, try and make your inside a bit more comforting. It is winter after all! Make the most of the weather by making yourself cosy. Warm blankets, bubble baths, rom-coms, candles, fairy lights – just try and make your environment nice in a way that might make you appreciate the cold that little bit more.